Clothes-line stretcher



mon/10441.) SOMERS CLOTHES LINE SlRE'IGHlE'.R.l

WUWESSES UNITED STATESA PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SOMERS, OF ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY.

CLOTHES-LINE STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,320, dated January 6, 1891.

Application filed July 18,1890. Seria-l No. 359,168. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM SoMERs, a citizen ot' the United States, and a resident of Atlantic City, in the county of Atlantic and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Line Stretchers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use t-he same,

vreference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a partof this specification.

Figure l ot` the drawings is a perspective view. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section; and Fig. 3 is a View of the straps and keeperplate.

This invention relates to clothes line stretchers, and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, A designates the house or box in which the clothesline is to be wound upon the winch B, which is journaled in bearings D D in the metal L- shaped straps E, which are secured to the l ends of the box A and terminate in arms G G,

bolts I I being passed through the arms Gr in order to secure the latter oppositely by means of nuts K to wing-extensions H ot' a rectangular bracket-hook L, which engages a keeper C, secured to a proper surface. The winch or spool B is provided lnear one end with a ratchet M, which is engaged by a pawl N, pivoted on the inside of one end ot the box, and said pawl is provided with a lifting-rod P,bywhich it may be raised from the ratchet to permit the Winch to be rotated in the direction that Will permit the clothes-line to unwind. The end of the box next to the ratchet is provided with a pin-hole a, in which a pin Z) is inserted when it becomes necessary to hold the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet M to permit the clothes-line to be unwou nd. T is a door through which the clothesline passes when being unwound or wound up. Then the clothes-line is wound upon the winch and the door T is closed, a button d is employed to hold the door closed, the

'clothes-line being thus protected from the rain and sun, whereby its usefulness is greatly prolonged. When it is desired to unwind the clothes-line, the lifting-rod P is used to raise the pawl N, and the pin b is placed beneath the pawl to hold it out of engagement with the ratchet. After the clothes-line has been unwound and the free end of the same made fast to the proper place, the crank is turned to stretch the line taut and the pin is placed above the pawl to prevent the latter from becoming disengaged from the ratchet. The keeper-plate C, when properly secured in position, receives in its recess e the hook or bentportionfof the bracket L, and thus securely holds the line-stretcher in place.

What I claim as new is- In a clothes-line stretcher, the housing, the Winch-shaft journaled therein, the ratchet on said shaft, the pawl for engaging said ratchet, the lifting-rod, and the pin for holding the pawl into and out of engagement with the ratchet, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM SOMERS.

Titnessesz l SUMMEEILL SMITH, CEAS. J. SMITH. 

